


simon says (love me)

by riellean



Category: NCT (Band), We Go Up - NCT Dream (Music Video)
Genre: BFFs, Confessions, Crack, Cute, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Kinda Fast Paced, Kisses, M/M, Misunderstandings, Self-Indulgent, Sweet, bffs chenji, donghyuck calls chenle cutie many times, hyuckle, jisung has a big role in this, like i just needed to get this out, very self-indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:35:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24374392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riellean/pseuds/riellean
Summary: Chenle does not know when it started.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 2
Kudos: 55





	simon says (love me)

Chenle does not know when it started.

 _It_ as in seeing one of his members in a different light. _It_ as in knowing that he sought a special kind of attention from a certain member. _It_ as in coming to the realization that he was fatally charmed and smitten for that one person.

He had looked up to all of his hyungs and even –dare he say– Jisung too, even if the latter annoys him to no end especially when the younger starts to tease him, but Chenle wasn’t as _enraptured_ , as _enchanted_ , as _head over heels_ , with them as he was with the charming angelic boy.

So when did it begin? When did Chenle know that he wanted to spend all his sunrises and all his sunsets with that one particular boy? Was it when the other started to hug Chenle every time he could? Or when Chenle had watched as the other bloomed and flourished underneath the stage lights? As time passes, Chenle thinks that he’s had a soft spot, a certain fondness for the receiver of his affection since the beginning, with how welcoming the older had been when Chenle had been the new kid from China who didn’t speak a word of Korean.

For Zhong Chenle, the feeling of fondness to loving came suddenly, Chenle had woken up one morning after a long and hard night of training, only to find himself face-to-face with the apple of his eyes peacefully snoring, their chocolate colored hair that reminded Chenle so much of pretzels, an absolute mess but framing their handsome face so innocently, with a small amount of drool tumbling out of his small lips; and thought, ‘ _Lee Donghyuck is absolutely bewitching_.’

Chenle came to the realization that whatever had started hadn’t had ended yet (and _may be wouldn’t ever_ ), so it didn’t matter if he couldn’t pinpoint the exact time he found himself being attracted to the older. Instead, Chenle had a second, even bigger mission. He now needed to focus on how he was going to continue hiding his ever-growing feelings when Donghyuck kept calling him _cutie_ at every single moment.

*

 _Cutie this_ and _cutie that_ , sometimes Chenle thinks that Donghyuck does it on purpose just to see his cheeks light up on fire to be able to coo at him and pinch his cheeks.

“Cutie this is for you!” Donghyuck yells. _Case en point_.

Chenle screams a “ _Coming!_ ” from his spot, laid flat on his bed where he had been playing his phone and gets up to see what Donghyuck called him for.

When Donghyuck sees Chenle come out his room, Donghyuck waves at him frantically, and Chenle notices that the rest of the members are also gathered around the living room table, furiously grasping at whatever Donghyuck had brought them from abroad. It’s a pretty funny sight to see, especially when he sees little tiny Renjun wrestling with the taller Jisung for a pack of spicy chips. Donghyuck had always bought the best gifts and souvenirs for them, had always been _a tad bit better_ in gifting them stuff rather than Mark, but for Chenle, the ultimate best gift he could ever receive from Donghyuck was Donghyuck himself.

.

.

.

 _CRINGE_. _Mental cringe. ABORT, ABORT!_

.

.

.

Chenle just wants Donghyuck to be his, okay? Leave him alone. He’s just a boy in love.

.

Chenle’s brought back to the moment when Donghyuck calls for him again.

“Cutie? Cutie? Are you okay?”

Chenle answers a “ _Yes, hyung_ ” paired with his cutest smile just for Donghyuck.

“Come here then cutie.” Donghyuck ushers him, shoving Jaemin off the sofa, Jaemin who did absolutely nothing at all other than smiling all cutely at Jisung and making those _aegyo_ noises, to make space for Chenle to sit right beside him. Jaemin whines as Chenle takes his spot, and Chenle pets him on the head like a dog in order to spite the boy. Jaemin just starts huffing and when Chenle lets his guard down, leans up to lick his hand, before getting up and hiding behind Renjun, who has somehow managed to conquer a man almost two heads taller than him and is currently sitting on top of the loser, eating his pack of well-earned chips.

Chenle turns his gaze back to Donghyuck who is gazing at him with sparkly eyes. He takes something from behind his back and personally hands Chenle a decorated dolphin gift bag, which Chenle accepts with wide eyes.

“Thank you hyung.” Chenle whispers, a bit teary eyed when he unravels the ribbons and opens the bag to see his favorite snacks, a discount coupon for barbeque, and a few piano music books he’s always wanted.

Donghyuck wipes the tears away with his sweater paws, _SWEATER PAWS!_ , Chenle mind goes, and singsongs, “Just for you cutie.”

Neither of them realize that Jisung, lying underneath Renjun, Jaemin, and Jeno, who had decided it was finally payback time for all the teasing the little chick had done, had witnessed the exchange, and how Chenle’s face and ears had grown a frighteningly hue of red.

*

Whatever is happening between Chenle and Donghyuck reminds Jisung of the time Jungwoo-hyung’s comments made Taeyong-hyung’s face a flaring red on that one live, how Jeno-hyungs’s life flashed before his eyes when Jaemin-hyung starts making heart eyes at him, and how Ten-hyung’s word sometimes made Johnny flush in embarassment. So Jisung definitely knows how to use whatever that is to his benefit. Those benefits definitely meaning Chenle gaming with him.

So on one particular rainy Friday morning, when they had no training or activities to prepare for, Jisung barges into Chenle’s room at dawn, and plops himself down on Chenle’s bed. Chenle whines at Jisung and swats at the youngest for bothering his sleeping time, but the youngest just lays all over Chenle’s back, amused at how he feels like he’s on an amusement ride. 10 minutes later, Jisung finds himself asleep on Chenle’s back, the cold air meaning that the body on top of his provides the needed warmth for a longer day’s sleep.

*

They both wake up at noon, none of their elders bothering to wake them up. Jisung innocently thinks it’s because today is their free day, but Chenle knows it’s because Renjun had cooked them a hearty breakfast, which they haven’t had in weeks, and Renjun’s cooking is superior, and Jaemin had baked them chocolate cake, and Jaemin’s chocolate cake is to die for.

He decides to keep quiet when he sees how Jisung cries at the sight of the eight dish meal still on the dining table.

(However, there were only two slices of chocolate cake left, but Chenle takes it in stride when Jaemin sends a video of Donghyuck helping decorating their chocolate slices with whipped cream. Well, Jaemin had also baked them chocolate chip cookies later that afternoon).

*

“I know what’s up between you and Donghyuckie-hyung.”

Jisung corners Chenle in his own room, gives him a paper to sign and all, and Chenle feels betrayed. Make that a capital B.

 _Betrayed_.

Betrayed by his best friend Park Jisung.

Jisung’s definitely a little _word_ that Chenle can’t say because Jaemin would know, Jaemin’s scarily tuned to Jisung’s whole self, but Chenle definitely jumps on Jisung and screams as loud as possible into the younger’s ear for a second which makes Jisung screech in return.

“What the bleep Chenle!” Jisung pulls Chenle off, and Chenle’s nails will definitely leave red marks on Jisung’s pale back, but Chenle just looks up, since the younger is taller, and pouts at him.

“That’s blackmail Jisung!” Chenle announces and turns his back towards Jisung, humphing. Chenle turns around again and says, “Did you just _bleep_ yourself?”

*

Chenle and Jisung both get down to the fact that Jeno becoming increasing aware of them using curse words in their dorm, and them having a swear jar, have made them become increasingly attuned to bleeping themselves. Jeno mutters something about the words creating havoc in his cat’s brains, but Chenle thinks Jisung made that last reason up.

“Yeah, so I guess I’m _like in love_ with Donghyuck?” Chenle fiddles with his fingers, and peers at Jisung from underneath his bangs. They’ve finally came to the agreement that Chenle should spend his free time gaming with Jisung instead of day-dreaming about Donghyuck at night. Turns out, Jisung was just worried that Chenle would be hung over the sun kissed angel, and only wanted Chenle to keep a clear mind. Chenle had cuddled him for five minutes after that warming confession.

“ _SWEET_! I was right!” Jisung goes, typing something in his phone. Chenle looks at him questioningly, and Jisung just waves his hand, “Nothing important. Mark-hyung made a 50 dollar bet that there was something more between you two, and I said yes.”

Chenle’s more caught up on the words ‘between you two’ rather than the fact Mark, the kindest and most understanding hyung of all had made a bet with the devil himself. “But I don’t even know if Duckie-hyung likes me?”

“You call him Duckie? That’s so cute.” Jisung sends another message on his phone and doesn’t speak another word to Chenle no matter how much Chenle tries to bug him for more information.

*

Since Jisung starts to act like a brat again, Chenle doesn’t even bother to warn Jisung about Jaemin.

He goes to sleep peacefully to the sound of Jaemin giving Jisung the birds and bees talk in their room next door and Jisung wretching in the background.

*

“I KNOW YOU TOLD JAEMIN-HYUNG ABOUT MY CRUSH!” Jisung screeches when they’re finally left alone in the dorms for once.

“I can neither confirm nor deny.” Chenle raises his head to see Jisung pointing at him and goes back to eating his fried eggs and bacon.

“If you want war, you’ll get war.” Jisung says darkly.

Chenle stubbornly thinks that everything is fine when Jisung eats the plate of breakfast he had prepared for the younger.

*

Donghyuck somehow gets increasingly affectionate towards Chenle in the coming weeks. He pats Chenle’s head, smiles sweetly at the younger, hugs Chenle and kisses his forehead, and never fails to praise Chenle whenever they finish shooting.

_“Cutie has been doing so well.”_

_“Good job cutie.”_

“Cutie, let’s go eat?”

Chenle takes Donghyuck’s outstretched hand as gets pulled to stand up.

Donghyuck takes Chenle to eat at a ramen shop near their practice building. It’s a small shop, but their ramen is homemade and is quite popular and the owner knows Donghyuck well and loves him like another child so they’re given a special discount. Donghyuck and Chenle are seated near the corner of the shop, covered in their black jackets, Donghyuck’s cap, and Chenle’s black bucket hat. As they take off their masks to eat and break their chopsticks apart, Donghyuck drops a raw egg into Chenle’s steaming hot soup and mixes it before doing so again in his own. Chenle smiles at Donghyuck in thanks and he’s rewarded with a ruffle on his hair.

Chenle’s so thankful when the savory taste of pork broth hits his tongue. It feels like it’s re-energizing him, and when he tells Donghyuck that, Donghyuck just tells him they should eat here more often then. Chenle dares to ask, “Just the two of us?” and Donghyuck nods. “Yes cutie.”

They walk back to the building after Donghyuck pays, “My treat because you’re my sweet maknae.”

If Chenle takes Donghyucks hand and leans his head on the older’s shoulder as Donghyuck pays, well, only the cashier will know. And if Chenle and Donghyuck continue to hold hands until they reach the practice room, then only Chenle’s fastly beating heart and red cheeks can tell.

*

When Donghyuck leaves to join his other teams activities, Chenle acts like a hapless wet kitten. He yowls and whines and scratches and only Jeno can seem to calm him down. Thankfully, according to Renjun, Chenle hasn’t started liking cat food or catnip. Jisung’s started to tease him with Jeno’s cat toys, hanging a string above Chenle’s body whenever he collapses in his own sweat after practice. Chenle wonders where Jisung gets all the energy from. However to appease Jisung’s antics, Chenle finds himself swatting at the red string. It somehow helps with Chenle’s stress.

Jaemin videotapes the whole ordeal on his phone and sends it. Chenle bites him when Johnny-hyung sends him the video and a text that reads he and Jisung are cute.

*

Donghyuck comes back around a week later, looking as striking as usual, beautiful molten bronze skin on display, and a bright look on his face that only made Chenle even surer that Donghyuck thrived underneath the stage lights. They all hug him one by one, Chenle the last one to give Donghyuck his welcome back hug. Chenle made sure to hug him the longest, and show how much he had really missed the older.

It made Chenle’s heart soar when Donghyuck seemed to return the affection, keeping Chenle by his side all night long, and cuddling him throughout their movie night on the sofa as a movie of cats played on their TV. Chenle is blissful, he basks in the affection, playing with Donghyuck’s fingers and rings, bringing his hand up to kiss, and asking Donghyuck to pet him some more. Jaemin complains loudly at that because Chenle has no right to act like a cat starving for affection when Jaemin has been loyally there by Chenle’s side all week long to give Chenle all the love that he needs! It isn’t fair that he’s only kind with Donghyuck and Jeno!

“Maybe Chenle’s not searching for your love.” Donghyuck replies cheekily. “Cutie here is only for me.”

And he bends his head down to place a kiss on Chenle’s lips.

*

Jisung knows he’s done for when Chenle bursts into his room when his hyungs were supposed to be having a movie night.

“Did you set him up to this?” Chenle asks, fuming.

Chenle looks angry, and the orange hair does not help Jisung in imagining a demon right in front of him.

Jisung is absolutely clueless. “Set who up for what?”

“Don’t lie to me! I’m talking about _him_!”

A light bulb lights up in Jisung’s brain, and Chenle sees it, so he doesn’t bother to finally grasp Jisung’s collar into his fists. “I trusted you Jisung! I did!”

Jisung’s terrified and it shows on his face. “I’m sorry Chenle, I really am.”

Chenle puts Jisung down because him arms are tired, he can’t believe Jisung would do that to him, and he isn’t even sure of his crush anymore. Why would _his_ Hyuckie-hyung do that to him? Chenle gives up. It wasn’t as if his feelings would ever bring him anywhere. “I don’t know Jisung, but next time, if you’re betting or if you want to wage war, please don’t hurt me like this. It really, really hurts.”

Chenle leaves the room, and for the first time in a while, Jisung cries for someone else.

*

“You should go after him.” Renjun tells Donghyuck. After Donghyuck had kissed Chenle, the boy’s face was suddenly as red as a tomato and he flew of Donghyuck’s lap, and walked away. They four of them had all heard the door slam.

“Yeah, I think he misunderstood.” Jaemin adds from his spot in Renjun’s lap. Renjun takes his time to card his hands through Jaemin’s pink locks and looks at Donghyuck thoughtfully. “Before your _cutie_ takes it the wrong way.”

The four flinch at the harsh sound of something hallow.

Donghyuck stands up to talk with Chenle.

*

Donghyuck finds Jisung on the floor, silently weeping, and he comforts the other boy, telling him that Chenle didn’t hate Jisung, and that they both could talk it out in the morning with Jaemin’s pancakes to keep them company. Donghyuck tells Jisung that Chenle wouldn’t hate Jisung just because of this one thing because Jisung wasn’t at fault. And Donghyuck reminds Jisung that Chenle is made with so much love, that he compliments them all so well, that they were family, and even if they fought, they would always love one another.

Once Jisung’s cries have calmed down, Donghyuck takes Jisung outside, and his other 00 liners coddle the teary boy with hugs.

“Don’t cry pretty boy.” Jeno wipes Jisung’s dry tears away, pulling the youngest into a one arm hug.

“Hmm, Jeno’s right. Our pretty, talented dancer shouldn’t cry this often.”

“Don’t cry Jisung. Just blame it on Hyuck.”

“JAEMIN!!”

Donghyuck is definitely sure that the three spoil Jisung rotten.

*

Donghyuck knocks on Chenle’s bedroom door and enters even if he hears a, “Go away Jisung,” coming from Chenle. He watches as Chenle lifts his head from where he’s lying face first onto his mattress, and sees Chenle’s puffy red eyes.

His heart softens by miles. “ _Oh, cutie. What’s wrong?_ ”

Chenle sniffles and rubs at his red eyes. “Don’t lie hyung, you were in this too.”

“In what?”

Chenle moves to sit down at the edge of his bed and glances at Donghyuck; fiery hair, teary brown eyes, and milky white skin, and _oh_ , _kitty Chenle is so cute_. “In whatever bet Jisung and Mark-hyung have going on!”

Donghyuck is taken aback. “Mark betted on me?” Turns out their leader _was interested_ in him after all. Donghyuck internally jumps with joy at the new material he has against Mark. Chenle nods and sniffles some more. 

When Chenle rubs at his eyes again, Donghyuck takes this as a time to step closer and approach Chenle. He places a hand on Chenle’s back and thanks the heavens when Chenle doesn’t move away from his touch.

“Where you angry about the kiss?”

The question triggers Chenle’s anger again, and he faces Donghyuck so their eyes meet. “I don’t care if you actually like me back or not Hyung, but I don’t like being played.” Chenle ends his sentence with a glare.

And _oh_ , _ohhh_. Donghyuck understands now. He praises his wonderful brain for connecting the dots.

“Jisung didn’t set me up to this Chenle.”

Chenle’s eyes widen in surprise. Donghyuck thinks it’s kind of cute.

“What do you mean?”

“Promise me you won’t get mad cutie?” Donghyuck extends his pinky finger. Chenle sighs but grasps it with his own. “Promise.”

*

Turns out Jisung is still definitely a ~~little~~ tall _bleep_.

Chenle owes him an apology however, but Donghyuck is quick to tell him that they’d rather just talk tomorrow at breakfast. Chenle knows that it’s because Donghyuck just wants more kisses. They’re both just two cats starving for affection.

Apparently, Jisung had confronted Donghyuck, telling _his_ ( _-finally Chenle’s!_ ) Donghyuck that Chenle had wanted Donghyuck as a boyfriend. And because Jisung and Chenle were best friends and just super close, Donghyuck had assumed that this now meant Donghyuck was dating Chenle. After all it was obvious with how nicely Donghyuck treated Chenle compared to the other members, that Donghyuck had feelings for Chenle.

“I don’t just call someone cutie, angel. And nope, even when I’m annoyed I just hug you and call you cutie and you miraculously keep quiet.” Chenle closes his mouth and puts his fingers down. He had no more arguments.

Donghyuck also didn’t want to confront Chenle about them dating, because Donghyuck wasn’t really thinking! He was just so happy that he could call the _cutie_ his.

“So that explains the video calls every night that ended with ‘ _good night, cutie_ ’ and a kiss? And all those congratulation texts from the hyungs?” Chenle murmurs into Donghyuck’s neck.

“Yeah. What else would they congratulate you for?”

Chenle doesn’t dare to mention that he had successfully managed to cook 40 perfect sunny-side up eggs in ten minutes. Jisung was there that day to bear witness.

“So why did you just decide to kiss me today?” Chenle asks.

“You were just so cute today, cutie. I couldn’t help myself.”

*

“So, can I kiss you again?” Donghyuck mumbles into Chenle’s ear. Chenle’s bedroom is lighted by the sunlight streaming through the windows, and it paints such a lovely picture when he gets to see Donghyuck just so _Donghyuck_.

 _Like we didn’t spend the night doing just that_ , Chenle thinks. “Sure.” Chenle answers instead. He pecks his lips forward and meets Donghyuck’s own in the middle.

“I like you too, Chenle.” Donghyuck shyly says when they break apart. Chenle just giggles and kisses Donghyuck again.

He’s so happy.

*

Chenle’s eating breakfast, holding hands underneath the table with his love two days later, when he gets a notification from Jisung.

Both Chenle and Jisung had talked out their problem properly, underneath the watch of Renjun, and a plate of Jaemin’s pancakes, and although Chenle was a bit mad that Jisung was the first who had asked Donghyuck out for him, he was sorry for blaming Jisung and coming to fast to conclusions and he hopes that they’ll still be best friends. Jisung apologized profusely and told Chenle that he’ll never get rid of the boy he met in third grade. Jisung had also started to clap his hands when Chenle told him that he was going to ask Donghyuck to be his boyfriend ( _by himself!_ ) on a special day. Chenle had made all the preparations and reservations for the occasion.

“ _The JICHEN war is over._ ”

Chenle hides his smirk behind his toast.

He may or may have not sent a link of Jisung’s personal thirst account of Jeno to _drumroll please_ , Jeno.

Donghyuck laughs when Chenle tells him this, and kisses his cute little angel again. 

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments please (；人；)  
> tell me what you think!
> 
> i hope you enjoyed, i spent five hours writing this, because what is english really.  
> sorry for the bad grammar or any misspellings bcs i just had to get this out.  
> thank you for reading!
> 
> oh, and hyuckle are like really cute and sweet in real life and well in this story they became boyfriends a week later and chenle serenaded hyuck with a self-written song. ༼☯﹏☯༽
> 
> ps. if it reads kinda weird, i just want you sweets to know like i literally just wrote, 'somehow they end up together' in my drafts aha.


End file.
